How to Wet Distress Using Hemp Oil

Hi there! My name is Chris Hardine from Midwest Cottage and Finds. In addition to being a MMS Milk Paint lover, I’m also the social media manager for the paint line.

Today, I’d like to teach you how to “wet distress”. This is a technique that I love using on my Milk Painted pieces, and the trick is using Hemp Oil.

Distressing is the stage where you purposefully remove paint to make a piece feel aged and worn. You can use sandpaper for this technique. My preferred grit is 220, but you can use whatever grit works for you. Normal distressing occurs when you rub away paint from your piece using sandpaper. It creates dust, which you remove with a cloth or a vacuum. This is also called “dry” distressing.

“Wet” distressing is the same concept except a lubricant is used to reduce the amount of dust that is produced. My lubricant of choice is Miss Mustard Seed’s Hemp Oil.

First, I apply my Hemp Oil with a regular paint brush. Then, I use my 220 grit sandpaper to distress in small sections, rubbing right over the Hemp Oil. (This is the “wet” part of wet distressing.) In the areas I would like to show a bit more wear, I apply more pressure with the sandpaper.

The outcome is one of my favorite looks! You can see the end result in the photo below.

Notice how the wood is showing through, looking like it took years to wear away. This distressing technique provides a smooth finish that is natural and adds depth to your piece.

Wet distressing with Hemp Oil is a perfect way to finish darker colors in the MMS Milk Paint line such as Artissimo, Typewriter and Curio.

I hope this helpful technique will inspire you to wet distress your next Milk Paint project!